Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-05-04
ALPENA WEEKLY ARGUS.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A Reporters Freak.

l will not mention the real name of
the reporter to whom this adventure
occurred, because he still lives, and
though he is now an Episcopal clergy
man in a neighboring city, l am
afraid he might be inclined to put
aside any religious scruples he may
have concerning assault and battery,
and get himself into police court if
l gave him away to his congregation
by identifying him. Any name will
do for him, but / will call him Billy,
which was his first name anyway. If
any of his congregation recognize him
by that fraction of his cognomen / do
not hold myself responsible.
Billy was known to all the newspa-
per reporters as "The Frozen Dude"
before he had been in the business a
week. He first conferred himself up
on The Sun from Harvard, and there
was a sensation when he made his de-
but in the reporters room. / have
never in my life seen person of such
absolute imperturbability of counte-
nance, and very few of such lofty de-
meanor, as this same Billy. His fea-
lures might have been frozen actually
for all the expression there was in
them, and in spite of the fact that he
was laughed at and guyed in half of
the places he went into on account of
his appearance, | never once knew
him to lose his absolute composure
that was his chief characteristic. l
have seen him in all kinds of situa-
tons, too, from dancing in Bowery
free and easy or sitting in the wing in
the sight of the audience at variety
show, to taking notes of sermon on
the pulpit steps in Plymouth church,
and attempting to convince the chair
man of the Ladies National Temper
ance association, at the Dig meeting in
Chickering hall, that alcoholic liquors
had their estimable qualities.
When Billy first reported for duty
at the desk of the city editor of the
Sun, he said:
CAV, Mr.. Bogart, 1 think it might
be well, before we go any further, that
you should understand that l have a
distinct preference for literary work"
Every well" replied Bogart, you
will confne your literature to the
south side station for the next month"
He did, too, the "south side station"
being the assignment that the New
York reporters generally begin upon.
But the boys in the Sun Office and in
the Press Club room found that Billy
was not by any means fool, as they
had at first thought him, but, OH the
contrary, particularly keen and in
telligent youth. l have described
him at length, because the story is
not half as good if one has not some
idea of the kind of fellow Billy was.
The Frozen Dude made his debut
in journalism six or eight years ago,
at a time when the business of bunco
steering was at its height, and he used
to lament that the bunco men never
tried to pick him up, since he thought
the experience would be an interest
ing one to write about. One day, af-
ter he had been in the Sun office
about month, there was fire re-
ported up in the middle of the city
somewhere, and Billy was given fire
badge that admitted him within the
fire lines, and sent up to see what the
matter was. The fire badge then was
almost exactly like the police and de-
tective badges, except that they bore
the name of the newspaper instead Of
members. Two or three years ago
they were changed for big tin badges
about the size of dinner plate, that
the reporters now wear. Being new
reporter Billy proudly fastened the
fire badge over his manly bosom upon
his waistcoat, and buttoning up his
coat-he always dressed in the top of
the fashion-he set forth.
The fire did not amount to much,
and on his way back, about o'clock
in the afternoon, the Frozen Dude
wen into the Fifth avenue hotel for a
quencher, and then came out and lean
ed against one of the pillars. sup
pose he looked like some young swell
from out of town, who was lonesome
in the great city and would be very
much pleased to find an old acquaint-
ance to show him the sights. At any
rate Billy had not stood there more
than five minutes when he was salut-
ed with the words:
"What, old man You down here
Why didn't you let us know you were
coming? ?"
AT the same time his hand was
grasped and shaken vigorously. The
greeting was so cordial and ring of
the voice so honest that Billy hardly
thought of the bunco men and turn
ing his expressionless countenance ON
the young man, who was gotten up
regardless of expense, he said: